Shoring construction



April 6, 1954 c. w. scoTT 2,674,206

SHQRING CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 27, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet l (IttomegsApril 6, 1954 A c. w. scoTT SHORING CONSTRUCTION 5 I Sheets-Sheet 2Filed Sept. 27 1948 S M m.

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April 6, 1954 c. w. SCOTT 2,674,206

SHORING CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 27, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 3nnentor0498A. WILL/49M B I a? 6: attornegs April 6, 4 c. w. SCOTT SHORINGCONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed sa 27, 1948 nventor CHI-2L MAL/441M9002';-

M w M Gttomeg! April 6', 1954 c. w. scoTT SHORING CONSTRUCTION 5Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 27, 1943 r m 3 Q H 0 o 0 0 0 o o 0 m o 0 0 00 O 0 0 m ,Q. W w\ v \& .Q Q o o 0 o o 0 o 0 .Q NV, 0 D, O O 0 O 0 ,Q Q[QQIIL ATTOEA/IFVf E Patented Apr. 6, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICESHORING CONSTRUCTION Carl William Scott, Kirkland, Wash.,- assignor toTote Engineering, Inc., Seattle, Wash., a corporation of WashingtonApplication September 27, 1948, Serial N 0. 51,420

7 Claims. (Cl. 105-369) 1 My invention relates'to a method of shoringpackaged merchandise, a shored transportation unit, and -a device forshoring the same.

While my inventionis applicable to shoring dise the merchandise must beshored so as to be protected against damage. Damage. is often causedwhena freight car is hit with aheavy force, as impact between tworelatively moving cars. In the yarding of freight when a heavy impact orforce. results on a freight car during connecting o-r disconnecting thesame from an engine or a car, the term humping is generally, applied.Also damage to the contents of freight cars often'occurs because ofsudden stop- .ping orstarting of the freight cars and because ofnon-uniform operation of the brakes of theof the damage to themerchandise resulted fromthe subsequent impacts as the cargo was notthen'properly shored.

It is an object of my invention to employ a resilient member betweenpackages making up the load. This resilient member not only shores theload butconsolidates it by moving spaced packages relatively toward eachother and. against a relatively fixed part of the freight car, as thebulkhead.

In employing the term packaged merchandise herein, I am distinguishingfrom bulk cargo shipped without a container in a shipping space andincluding merchandise in a container or package and regardless of theshape or size of the external surfaces of the package. Thus I willinclude but not be limited to filled cases-includingcases, boxes,barrels and the like; filled As distinguished 2 crates and cratedarticles; and uncrated articleswhich are capable of being handled asunits. Also the-Shipping Container and Ship* ping Construction describedand illustrated in Patent No. 2,648,428, August 11, 1953, of Frank J.White and myself, will be illustrated and described hereinas-said-shipping bin can readily be shored for transportation byfollowing my present invention.

The present invention is characterized and itis an object thereoftoprovide an inflatable pneumatic member which is inflated to a relativelylow pressure, such as less than one pound per square inchand'which has avery substantial surface area so that total pressure is substantial andthe same isdissipated over a. substantial cargo area toshore the cargoandmove the same into the desired shoredrelation in the freight car.

The above mentioned general objects-of my invention together with othersinherent in the same areattained by thedevices'illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, throughout which like reference numerals indicatelike parts:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoring device embodying myinvention;

Fig.-2 is a fragmentary detached view illus-v trating a corner of thedevice shown in Fig. -l of the drawings;

Fig. 3 is:a fragmentary sectional view on a larger scale than Fig. 2and-taken substantially on broken line 3--3of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view showing a shoring device ofthis invention in deflated form and positioned between unitsrepresenting cargo;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 except ashoring device isshownininfiated form;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to'Fig. 5 except that .two shoring devices areemployed;

type of cargo which has been positioned in a freight car and prior toshoring of the cargo; and with the shoring device positioned differentlythan in Figs. 8 and 9; and

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10 except that the cargo has beenshored.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, the shoring device of myinvention comprises two substantially rectangular face members l whichare secured together at their edges as by overlapping, sewing andvulcanizing. As is illustrated in Fig. 3, the stitchings l I may beemployed. A plurality of hanger tabs l2, see also Fig. l, are employedand they may be secured to the face members [0 by the stitchings H. Thehanger tabs l2 are provided with metallic eyelets I3 into which may beinserted rods I4, see Figs. 4 to 7, 8 and 9. Valve members I5 functionas means whereby the shoring devices may be inflated to the desired airpressure and said pressure retained. Preferably the valve i5 is ofcommon construction as employed in connection with automobile tires andis vulcanized to an end portion of one of the face members [0. Alsopreferably reinforced corners 20 are provided.

The shoring device may be in the nature of a single tube device, in themanner of a bicycle pneumatic tire without an inner tube, or a casingwith a bladder or tube therein, in the manner of a football with abladder therein, an automobile tire casing with a tube therein, etc.Devices wherein a casing functions both as a casing and the tube ordevices employing a separate casing and an inner tube are of such wellknown and common construction that it is believed that no furtherdetailed explanation of the construction of the shoring device isneeded. In View of the fact that the shoring devices may havesubstantially low pressures involved, as hereinbefore described, theshoring devices of my invention are readily adapted for a single tubeconstruction and such is generally illustrated in the drawings.

Thus, I have illustrated in Figs. and 11 of the drawings the samefreight oar illustrated in connection with Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawingsand a similar load except that the shoring device I0 is disposed betweenthe cargo and one of the bulkheads or rigid walls H of the freight carI8. By the use of my invention in this way the shoring device I0 isfirst placed in the freight car and adjacent one wall I! thereof.Thereafter, the cargo is placed in the car and the shoring device II! iscaused to expand and consolidate the load into a unit and to urge theunit against the opposite end H of the freight car l8. This is not thepreferred form of my invention as the use of the invention in this wayrequires openings through an end wall I! so that the shoring device l0may be inflated to carry out the method of my invention. However saidFigs. 10 and 11 illustrate that the shoring device I!) may directly orindirectly exert its pressure against one or both of the rigid walls l1.

Referring now to the devices illustrated in Figs. 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9, thecargo or load of packaged merchandise is illustrated as the shippingbins l6 of our said co-pending application. The side walls of the binsl6 are bulged outwardly in accordance with the invention of the saidPatent No. 2,648,428. In originally locating the bins H5, or any otherload or cargo to be shored in accordance with this invention, no effortneed be made to pack or place the same relatively tight in the freightcar. As is illustrated in Fig. 8 of the drawings there may be spacesbetween the bins I 6 and between the bins l6 and the relatively rigidwalls II, which may be in the nature of bulkheads of the freight carnumbered generally as l8. Then a space is provided, preferablysubstantially at the longitudinal midportion of the freight car I8 todispose the load or cargo in two units. This is preferable as it iscommon practice to have freight cars with the door openings closed bydoors l9 at such location so that the car can be loaded from the middleand toward the respective walls or bulkheads I1. Then the pneumaticshoring device is suspended by placing rods H8 in eyelet i3 andsuspendingly supporting rods l4 by the bins I 6 as is illustrated inFig. 4 of the drawings. When inserted, the shoring device will bedeflated as is indicated in said Fig. 4 and in Fig. 8. Upon inflation ofthe shoring device it will assume the position shown in Figs. 5 and 9 ofthe drawings and the various units comprising the cargo, as bins 16,will be relatively moved toward each other and the load and shoringdevices will assume the positions shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings.

It is desirable to provide a device which will extend substantially thefull width of a car and to the heighth of the load. Thus in practice theshoring devices of my invention are substantially 60 inches by 96 inchesand 10 inches in thickness when inflated. Also the said shoring devicesare preferably not elastic such as would be present if they were formedof rubber alone. Thus when the shoring devices are inflated asillustrated in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 9, they do not bulge upwardly ordownwardly, over or below the load which they are shoring.

If desired, two shoring devices may be employed between the units of aload as is indicated in Figs. 6 and 9 of the drawings. Also, if ashorter load is encountered, the units may be folded back on themselvesas is illustrated in Fig. '7 of the drawing. Also, by having the tabs l2on the four edges, the units can be suspended by the cargo and withtheir longer dimension, horizontal or vertical as desired. In said Fig.'7 the shoring device has been disposed with a longer dimension foldedback on itself. The advantage of using two units as is illustrated inFigs. 6 and 9 of the drawings is one of safety. The shoring units arepreferably not reinforced to inflate to a rectangular shape in sectionwhen not reacting against walls or cargo. Thus if one of the shoringdevices should become punctured, then the other would expand inthickness and decrease in length and would function to shore the loadbut of course at approximately one half the pressure because of thedecreased contact with the surface of the load. Instead of providing aplurality of units, a unit having a plurality of inflatable memberstherein may be employed. Preferably the shoring devices are inflated torelatively low pressures such as one pound per square inch where thesurface area involved is that previously described. As the impact on theshoring devices can be substantially greater, upon shifting of thecargo, than the internal pressure within the shoring device. the shoringdevices should be made to withstand a bursting pressure of substantiallyten pounds per square inch.

As will now appear, the shoring devices of my invention edge or move theshored cargo, as bins i6, resiliently toward the bulkheads I! not onlyfor initial shoring but to restore them to such a position if they aredislodged by reason of impact. Thus the cargo is shored and re-shoredcontinuously'during transportation to withstand successive impacts;Preferably the resilient pressureis provided by pneumatic means as suchpermitsa uniform distribution of. the pressure over an uneven surfaceof,- a cargo block.

As is indicated in Fig. 8 of the drawings, two units are providedcomprising packaged merchandise. As an example, the unit toward the leftcomprises 12' pack'ages, while the unit toward the right comprisespackages. There are spaces. between the various packages of eachunit'and generally spaces between a unit and. the relatively rigid endwalls of the ship ing compartment such as is indicated toward the leftof Fig. 8. After stowing the packaged merchandise into the shippingcompartment as above indicated, then next I dispose an inflatablepneumatic member, or members [0, in the space between two units andconsolidate the packages into units and urge the units against theopposite spaced apart relatively ri id walls, ll, by inflating theinflatable pneumatic member or mem bers, HJ. While preferably thearticles or packages of merchandise are initially stowed to provide aplurality of units, yet it will be obvious that at least 1 unit ofpackaged merchandise may be provided with the inflatable pneumaticmember In contacting the bounding surface of a unit which is furthestremoved from the adjacent relatively rigid wall against which the unitis to be urged and the other side of the inflatable member may have itspressure resisted by the opposite relatively fixed wall either directly,through another unit of packages of merchandise, or otherwise.

Obviously changes may be made in the forms, dimensions, and arrangementsof the parts of my invention without departing from th principlethereof, the above setting forth only preferred forms of embodiment ofmy invention.

Iclaim:

1. The method of shoring packaged merchandise in a shipping compartmenthaving oppositely disposed spaced apart relatively rigid walls,comprising disposing said packages in said compartment in units withspaces between packages of a unit and a space between units; disposingan inflatable pneumatic member in said space between units; andconsolidating said packages into units and urging said units in oppositedirections and against the relatively rigid Walls of said compartment byinflating said inflatable pneumatic member, said inflated pneumaticmember, after being inflated, also functioning to return said packagedmerchandise to its shored position after being moved therefrom byimpacts to the shipping compartment.

2. The method of shoring packaged mercham disc in a shipping compartmenthavin oppositely disposed spaced apart relatively rigid walls,comprising disposing said packages in said compartment in at least oneunit with spaces between packages, a space between the unit and theadjacent relatively fixed wall, and a space adjacent the boundingsurface of such unit furthest removed from said adjacent relativelyfixed wall; disposing an inflatable pneumatic member in said spaceadjacent said one bounding surface of such unit and with one surface ofthe pneumatic member contacting said unit and the other surface thereofsupported by the opposite relatively fixed wall; and consolidating saidpackages into a unit and urging said unit against said adjacentrelatively rigid wall by indise in-a shipping compartment having oppo--sitely disposed spaced apart relatively rigid walls, comprisingdisposing said packages in said compartment in at least one unit withspaces between packages, a space between the unit-and-theadjacentrelatively fixed Wall, and a space adjacent the bounding surfaceof such unit furthest removed from said adjacent relatively fixed wall;suspendingly supporting an inflatable pneumatic member in said spaceadjacent said one bounding surface of such unit and with one surface ofthe pneumatic member contacting said unit and the other surface thereofsupported by the opposite relatively fixed wall; and consolidating saidpackages into a unit and urging said unit against said adjacentrelatively rigid wall by inflating said inflatable pneumatic member,said inflated pneumatic member, after being inflated, also functioningto return said packaged merchandise to its shored position after beingmoved therefrom by impacts to the shipping compartment.

4. The method of shoring packaged merchandise in a shipping compartmenthaving oppositely disposed spaced apart relatively rigid walls,comprisin disposing said packages in said compartment in at least oneunit with spaces between packages, a space between the unit and theadjacent relatively fixed wall, and a space adj acent the boundingsurface of such unit furthest removed from said adjacent relativelyfixed wall; disposing an inflatable pneumatic member in said spaceadjacent said one bounding surface of such unit and with one surface ofthe pneumatic member contacting said unit and the other surface thereofsupported by the opposite relatively fixed wall; and consolidating saidpackages into a unit and urgin said unit against said adjacentrelatively rigid wall by inflating said inflatable pneumatic member toan air pressure of about one pound per square inch, said inflatedpneumatic member, after being inflated, also functioning to return saidpackaged merchandise to its shored position after being moved therefromby impacts to the shipping compartment.

5. A shored loaded shipping compartment comprising two relatively rigidoppositely disposed walls; packaged merchandise in said compartment; andan inflated pneumatic member reacting against one of said relativelyrigid walls, disposed against some of said packages, and urging saidpackages toward each other and toward the opposite relatively rigidwall, said inflated pneumatic member, after being inflated, alsofunctioning to return said packaged merchandise to its shored positionafter being moved therefrom by impacts to the shipping compartment.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein the pneumatic member issuspendingly supported by the packaged merchandise, said inflatedpneumatic member, after being inflated, also functionin to return saidpackaged merchandise to its shored position after being moved therefromby impacts to the shipping compartment.

7. A pneumatic shoring device for shoring a plurality of units of acargo block having uneven surfaces in a shipping compartment havingoppositely disposed spaced apart relatively rigid walls, comprisingrectangular cargo engaging surfaces for sustaining air under relativelylow pressure therebetween and for engaging uneven surfaces of a cargoblock; and means for sustaininglysupporting said device between units ofthe cargo block so that upon inflation of said shoring device the unitsof the cargo will be consolidated and resiliently supported againstmovement in a horizontal plane, said inflated pneumatic member, afterbeing inflated, also functioning to return said packaged merchandise toits shored position after being moved therefrom by impacts to theshipping compartment.

8 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSNumber Name Date Miller Dec. 16, 1913 Monesmith Jan. 27, 1914 Ward Aug.10, 1915 Hahn Oct. 12, 1915 Dains Aug. 23, 1927 Reeves July 3, 1928Loney Oct. 14, 1941 Price Apr. 14, 1942 Couse Sept. 21, 1948

